Georgia Hosts No. 18 Auburn in SEC Opener

No. 19/18 Georgia (18-5, 0-0)
vs. No. 18/21 Auburn (20-3, 0-0)
Dates: March 10-12, 2023
First Pitch: 6:30 p.m. // 12 p.m. // 2 p.m.
Location: Athens, Ga.
Stadium: Jack Turner Stadium
Admission: FREE (no tickets required // seating is first come, first served)

Media Information
TV: SEC Network (Saturday)
   Play-by-play: Matt Schumacker
   Analysis: Aleshia Ocasio
Streaming: SEC Network+
   Play-by-Play: Jack Sadighian // Kaleb Frady
   Analysis: Brock Van Faussien
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter Updates: @UGAsoftball

Georgia softball opens Southeastern Conference play this weekend when No. 19/21 Auburn comes to Athens for a three-game series.

The series begins Friday evening at Jack Turner Stadium at 6:30 p.m. between the Bulldogs and Tigers. Saturday's noon matchup will air nationally on SEC Network. Sunday's finale will begin at 2 p.m.

Follow the Bulldogs
» Friday and Sunday's game will stream live on SEC Network+. Jack Sadighian and Kaleb Frady with Brock Van Faussien will be on the call.
» Saturday's game will air live on SEC Network. Matt Schumacker and Aleshia Ocasio will be on the call. » Live stat links can be found on the softball schedule at GeorgiaDogs.com.
» Live Twitter updates will be available on the official Twitter page of Georgia softball, @UGAsoftball.

Upcoming Promotions at Jack Turner Stadium
» Admission to every home regular season Georgia softball game is FREE. No tickets are required. Seating is first come, first served. The UGA clear bag policy is in effect.
Friday, March 10 // 6:30 p.m.
- The first 500 fans will receive a long sleeve t-shirt
- The first 150 UGA Students will receive food
Saturday, March 11 // 12 p.m.
- The first 500 fans will receive frosted cups
- Girl Scout Day: Registered Girl Scouts will receive a donut courtesy of Dunkin' Donuts, stand on the field during the National Anthem, run the bases post game, and get a t-shirt. To register, email zoe.kreyenbuhl@uga.edu
Sunday, March 12 // 2 p.m.
- Dad & Daughter Day #1: Registered Dad & Daughter pairs will receive a t-shirt and lunch, stand on the field during the National Anthem, and play catch on the field after the game. To register, email zoe.kreyenbuhl@uga.edu

BULLDOGS BULLETIN
Series History
» Georgia leads the all-time series 38-25
» In Athens, Georgia leads the series 16-11
» The Bulldogs and Tigers have not been in Athens since 2017; Auburn swept the series
» Georgia dropped last season's series in Auburn
» The Bulldogs won the previous series in Auburn in 2019
» Georgia is 3-7 in the last 10 meetings

Recapping Last Week's Action
Georgia defeated the Georgia State Panthers Wednesday evening, 7-2, at Jack Turner Stadium. Georgia's offense scored seven runs on 10 hits led by a three-hit night from Lyndi Rae Davis. Sara Mosley and Jaydyn Goodwin each picked up two hits in the contest. Mosley and Goodwin joined Ally Kurland in knocking home runs Wednesday. In the circle, Madison Kerpics was perfect in her three-inning start. Destin Howard (2-0) earned the victory in relief, working two innings. Kylie Macy and Riley Orcutt each pitched scoreless innings out of the pen.

A Look at What's Ahead
Georgia welcomes Furman to Athens next Wednesday for a midweek matchup at Jack Turner Stadium. First pitch between the Bulldogs and Paladins is set for 6:30 p.m. Georgia then hits the road for its first SEC road test next weekend at Texas A&M. The series kicks off Friday at 6 p.m., ET in Bryan-College Station.

Georgia in the Polls
Georgia's rankings after Week 4:
     - USA Today/NFCA: 19
     - ESPN/USA Softball: 18
     - D1Softball: 18
     - Softball America: 18
     - RPI: 24

Walters Tosses 47th No-No in Program History
Graduate Shelby Walters pitched a six-inning no-hitter against Samford in the Bulldog Class on March 4. It was the 47th no-hitter in the history of the Georgia softball program. She tied a season-best eight strikeouts in the game, allowing just two walks in an otherwise perfect outing.

Offense Blasts 12 Homers in Bulldog Classic
The Bulldogs combined for 12 home runs in five games of the Bulldog Classic including five in the finale against Samford on March 5. Sydney Chambley led the attack with three on the weekend while Jayda Kearney, Jaiden Fields, Sydney Kuma, and Ally Kurland each knocked two. Two of the blasts were game-ending home runs to enact a run rule.

Pitching Staff Spins Six-Straight Shutouts
As a staff, Georgia pitchers recorded five shutouts in five games in the Georgia Classic Feb. 24-26 then went on the road and blanked rival Georgia Tech on Feb. 28. The shutout of the Yellow Jackets tied the program record of six-consecutive shutouts, most recently achieved in 2018. The trio of Madison Kerpics, Shelby Walters, and Destin Howard didn't allow a run in 39 innings of work, holding opponents to a .137 batting average, striking out 26 combined batters.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sydney Chambley

Lyndi Rae Davis

Jaiden Fields

Jaydyn Goodwin

Destin Howard

Jayda Kearney

Madison Kerpics

Sydney Kuma

Ally Kurland

Kylie Macy

Sara Mosley

Riley Orcutt

Shelby Walters